​Anyone who knows me, or who has read this column over the years or my many letters to the editor knows that I am a progressive liberal. This column is not about that, or indeed any politics at all. I am hoping it is about something we can all agree on: hate has no place in this country or in our lives.Hate is strangely seductive. It is insidious. Sometimes it seems that just a little hate can make us feel better because we can control it. We would NEVER go overboard, or allow overt acts of hatred or violence, but a little…well, that's different . There are so many targets to choose from, all boiling down to 2 words: the others. They're not like us. They steal our jobs. They don't believe in our faith. They are un-American. They are not white or black, or any other shade we are. They don't speak English. They don't want the same things we do. They look different, or speak differently or dress differently. They threaten "our" way of life. The generic "they"; encompassing whole groups of thousands of people.I'm not naïve. I know that there ARE some individuals who DO threaten our way of life with violence, ie, terrorists and criminals. The key word there is individuals. These people make a choice to let hatred rule their lives. Scapegoating others is a great way to absolve yourself from responsibility for your own failures. Also, who needs to spend their lives working to solve a scientific problem or find a cure for a disease or helping others, perhaps in obscurity, for years, when you can become "famous" with one horrible act. Hate can be a great motivator.We are a nation of immigrants. Our diversity is our strength. Those who want to "take back" America from the influx of new arrivals with their diverse cultures, languages, and beliefs are victims of selective amnesia. We are America. We ALL are. How many of us are native Americans? The people who were the first Americans were living here for millennia before the European immigrants displaced (and committed genocide on) them. We are all children or grandchildren or great grandchildren of immigrants. Have we forgotten how the Irish, Italians, Jews, Germans, were hated upon their arrival? The Chinese were not even allowed to bring their wives and children over with them at first. And of course, we have the huge group of involuntary immigrants, the hundreds of thousands of slaves brought here against their will, whose descendents are still struggling to find a place in this country. Our parents and grandparents suffered because of this. Why can't we learn and move on. And yet, xenophobia is just too easy and tempting.So, why am I writing this? Sometimes giving in to hate is the easy path. I am asking all of us to take the difficult road of resisting hate. Stand up for your neighbor. Speak out. Be courageous. We must not patronize those who sell hate or give it a platform. Boycott. Write letters. Keep vigilant watch in your community. There can be no compromise with hate, a little bit soon grows into a Holocaust. It affects all our lives and is a poison to both those who get it and those who give it.WSZIO is out in the community much of the year engaging people directly through our events, assisting in other communitys' events, and supporting grassroots activities. We have met many of you through our children's activities both in Westchester Square and elsewhere. We are reaching out to you now, asking you to reject hate in your lives and communities. Do it for you and your children. We need to embrace each other, because if we don't all move forward together, we shall fall behind and fall to pieces.And so, in this season of peace on earth and good will, let us remember who we are, our better selves. Let us know love, practice kindness, reach out to understand each other. And in the words of Ghandhi - "Be the change you wish to see in the world."We wish you peace, love, happiness, and may your fondest dreams come true this coming year for you and those you love.TTFN